Gaseous discharge register



Aug. 24, 1954 W JR 2,687,496

GASEOUS DISCHARGE REGISTER Filed July 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet l M/PI/T g MWTigL/M I INVENTOR Aug. 24, 1954 N. B. WALES, JR 2,687,496 GASEOUS DISCHARGE REGISTER Filed July 15, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 a STATES OFFICE 2,687,496 GASEOUS DISCHARGE REGISTER Nathaniel B. Wales, Jr., Morristown, N. J., assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 15, 1949, Serial No. 104,980

13 Claims. (Cl. 315167) 1 2 This invention relates to a gaseous discharge jacent to a position of one neighbor cathode tube which utilizes a novel method for positively which is more remote from its point of breakdisplacing the position of the discharge so as to down. In other words, the cathodes (preferably permit the controlled transfer of this discharge extended rod-like cathodes) each have a tip relbetween a sequential plurality of cathodes. 5 atively close to the common anode and having In the art of digital calculating devices it has the remainder of its surface progressively recedcome to be recognized that any device having a ing towards its root from the anode. Conplurality of states of stable equilibrium may be sequently, the breakdown of discharge will occur adapted to perform the operations of number at the tip, being the shortest gap, and, for suitstorage, or of multiplex switching. In the class of able pressures and currents, the cathode glow of equilibrium. Further, it is desirable that such sustain a glow discharge between the tip of the a device employ a minimum of auxiliary appacathode and the anode being less than that for ratus to enable this transfer. To this end it is the region between the root and the anode so also desirable that the electrical conditions at that a potential gradient exists along the length I I each state of equilibrium be similar, rather than of the cathode due to its geometric arrangement. progressively different, thereby obviating the The common series limiting resistor ordinarily need of any resetting device to make cyclic will limit this glow spread to a small operation possible. the tip of this cathode. Further, each cathode The subject invention achieves these objects tip is located so that its anode gap lies between by employing a common anode cooperating with the anode and the root of one of the adjacent a plurality of cathodes in such a way that input cathodes. pulses to the system cause a positive transfer of 5 Consequently, if a positive current pulse is resistor to a common current supply) the dissat1sfies the before mentioned conditions for charge will transfer to the electrode having the transfer, by setting up an ion density at the higher potential relative to the common electrode higher potential gap, and transfer of the discharge gap between the common electrode and tip underlies the root of the originally dischargthis higher potential electrode. My invention ing cathode. In order to guarantee the reestabcathode simply by providing each cathode with or oscillator behaviour will be inhibited. The a separate series resistor. Thus the current of input pulse length m t; therefore be chos with respect to the time constants of these cathode RC resistor will drop the potential of this cathode products,

relative to its neighboring cathodes. This con- An object of this invention is to make possible dition is stable, however (for a suitable choice of an inexpensive and compact decade counter suitseries resistors) until some agency introduces able for cascade operation without auxiliary an ion density into the gap of one of the other equipment.

cathodes. The invention provides this ion den- Another object is to provide a naval gaseous sity necessary for transfer by utilizing the phedischarge storage tube of the glow transfer type nomenon of cathode glow extension in conjuncwherein the extension of the glow discharge on tion with a geometry of cathode structure such as a first cathode causes an increased ionization to place the breakdown point of any cathode ad- 01 the breakdown gap associated with a second cathode to institute a transfer of the glow disboundary of the glow on cathode 3. As this glow charge to the second cathode thereby effecting sheath extends its boundary, it transports a rethe storage of an electrical manifestation. gion of ion density with it until the gap 4 ex- A further object is to provide a novel gaseous periences an attendant abundance of available discharge storage tube of the glow transfer type 5 ions. This condition effectively lowers the breakincluding only a single anode and a plurality of down voltage of gap 4, and it consequently breaks cathodes common thereto and equal in number down and captures the discharge. This capture to the storage capacity of the tube, said cathis aided by the capacitors ll associated with odes being arranged so that an increase of curcathodes A and 3 since the former tends to conrent through a cathode in circuit with a glow 1 tinue the high potential of cathode 4 and the latdischarge causes transfer of the glow discharge ter tends to continue the depressed potential of to a preselected adjacent cathode to effect storcathode 3. Thus the instantaneous current age of amanifestation. through series resistor 8 during the very brief Other objects are implicit in the following time when both cathodes 3 and 4 are conductspecification and claims. ing is sufficient to depress the potential of cath- Referring to the drawings: ode 3 to the extinguishing point while cathode Fig. l is the schematic diagram of a simplified 4 has still adequate potential, by virtue of its form of my invention to illustrate its operation; capacitance ll, to sustain the discharge. Con- Fig. 2 is the schematic diagram of a toroidal sequently, the input pulse having by now subform of the invention adapted for decade cascade sided, the discharge remains stably on cathode cyclic operation; 4 since the anode-cathode gap of cathode 3 near Fig. 3 is a section in elevation of the preferred its root has a very high breakdown potential, form of tube incorporating my invention; and and since the tip gap of cathode 5 is so remote Fig. 4 is a plan section of the invention shown from the short glow sheath of cathode t in its in Fig. 3 with the top portion of the envelope unimpulsed condition, Subsequent input pulses cut away. on terminals 9 will similarly transfer the dis- The glass envelope l in Fig. 1 contains a gas charge to cathodes 5 and 6 seriatim, thus peratmosphere under a reduced pressure suitable forming a counting operation. Evidently, the for the phenomenon of cathode glow. The gas input pulse length must be properly shaped as may be neon, hydrogen or any suitable gas or to amplitude and duration, since a single exmixture or gases which will not react appreciably tended pulse would cause the discharge to move with the materials of the elements or envelope. through all of the cathodes in sequence. The common rod anode 2 extends the length of The toroidal tube of Fig. 2 operates in an the cylindrical tube emerging through a seal for identical manner to that of Fig. 1, and repreexternal connection to battery 1 and series limsents simply the extension of the linear tube into iting resistor 8. a cyclic form. Toroidal glass envelope l4 con- The cathodes 3, A, 5, and 6 enter the tube tains the common circular anode i5 and the through radial tubulations as shown, thence ten plural cathodes (8 to 25 all suitably sealed undergoing a bend of some appreciable radius of therethrough, and positioned as shown. The curvature, and sloping downward toward the functions of resistors 10, capacitors H, battery anode l to terminate at the anode-cathode gaps 1, limiting resistor 8 and switch l2 are all iden- 4, 5' and 6' respectively. The geometry of tical to the corresponding functions of the identhese electrodes is such that the breakdown gap tically numbered Parts Of 4' of cathode 6 lies underneath or near the bend In operation, opening and closing of switch or root of cathode 3, and similarly, gaps 5 12 sets the tube to discharge on the index cathand 6 lie under the roots of cathodes 4 and 5 ode i6. Subsequent pulses of the polarity shown, respectively. That is, the breakdown gap of each impressed on input terminals It causes the discathode lies in the proximity of that portion of charge to transfer to the successive clockwise the adjacent cathode which will experience cathcathode for each pulse, until, on the tenth pulse, ode glow last as the discharge current for this the discharge returns to the index cathode l5. adjacent cathode is increased. Each of the cath- This return of the discharge current through odes 3, l, 5 and 6 is provided with a separate the resistor l0 associated with cathode It causes resistor Hi and capacitor H in parallel. The ends a transient voltage pulse to pass through coupling of the resistor-capacity pairs remote from the condenser 38 and to appear across output tercathodes are normally connected together and minals IT. This output pulse is suitable for imto the limiting resistor 8. Normally closed switch pression on a, nd such decade counter as an I2 is provided for initially setting up the dis.- m t pulse f r cascade operation. cha e 011 Cathode The tube structure shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is In ope a lo the devlce 0f 1 15 caused to more suitable for mass production and comprisesset up a discharge on cathode 3 by the opening a com act executn th of switch !2. By suitable choice of resistors 8 the tuges of f 21 and Water the given batteryyoltage of 1 and l drical (glass) envelope 39 (filled with gas under pressure and electrode spacing of the tube, tl'llS Suitable pressure) terminating in a mum 1 ffischarge maype limited to cathode glow cowgirpressing through which pass the ten catho le mg only the tip of cathode 3. Under these cir- 28 to in the base and tar Ming in a single cumstances the discharge is stable and will, con- 6 tinue so after the closing of switch l2 due to the lead 2 Suppoltmg disk anode 27 on the The fact that the Voltage drop in resistor 8 caused ten parallel cathode pins 28 to 31 are preferably by the discharge current reduces the potentials made of tungsten and. undergo a bend forming of the other cathodes below their normal breakthe of each electrode, While having a tip down potentials with respect to the common terminating at the point 0f Closest pp of anode, If however, a, voltage pulse is impressed each cathode t0 the. common anode. Further, the across terminals 9 with the indicated polarity, p of each cathode l approximately n the the current through the discharge will rise aco test path connecting the root of the precedcompanied by a corresponding extension of the mg cathode to the anode disk. This geometry thus provides the conditions necessary to utilize breakdown gap of the next adjacent cathode.

The scope of this invention is intended to cover such variations of structure incorporating its principles as are obvious to those skilled in the art. Thus, for instance, the incoming leads to the cathodes may be brought by certain geometries directly to the point of initial anode breakdown, thence passing away to a root which could be the tip of the cathode wires.

What I claim is:

1. In a gaseous discharge storage device of the glow transfer type the combination comprising an anode and a plurality of extended similar cathodes each representing a preselected digital value and having a first point of closest approach to said anode and a second point more remote than said first point from said anode, said first points forming a plurality of substantially equal glow discharge gaps with said anode, said cathodes being so positioned that the first said point of a given cathode lies closer to the second said point of an adjacent cathode than to the first said point of said adjacent cathode, the first point of said given cathode being intermediate the second point of said adjacent cathode and the anode; voltage means connected between said anode and cathodes to sustain a glow discharge on one of said cathodes to the exclusion of others, said glow discharge being at the first point of closest approach of said cathode to said anode; current increasing means connected to said one of said cathodes for extending the area of glow discharge along that one of said cathodes to its said second point thereby placing said glow discharge between the first point of another adjacent cathode and said anode; and voltage maintaining means connected to said another adjacent cathode for transferring the discharge from said second point of said one cathode to the first point of said another adjacent cathode and establishing a stable glow discharge between the first point thereof and said anode.

2. The gaseous discharge device set forth in claim 1 including a resistor connected in series with each of said cathodes to limit the spread of the glow discharge along the respective cathode; said voltage maintaining means comprising a capacitor connected in parallel with each resistor to establish a stable glow discharge at said first point of each cathode when said glow discharge exists thereat.

3. In a gaseous discharge device the combination comprising an anode; a plurality of cathodes sequentially spaced to form a preselected discharge path, each said cathode having a point of preferential breakdown to said anode thereby forming a breakdown gap intermediate said anode and said cathode and a portion receding from said anode, said gap being located within the space intermediate said anode and the receding portion of a cathode adjacent thereto; circuit means for establishing a stable glow discharge between a preselected cathode and said anode; and means connected between said cathodes and anode to apply an electrical manifestation to said device for causing extension of the glow discharge along .said preselected one cathode to lower the breakdown potential of said breakdown gap of a preselected adjacent cathode to transfer said glow discharge directly to said breakdown gap of said preselected adjacent cathode, resistive and capacitive means connected in parallel with each other and in series with said cathode to maintain said glow discharge in stable equilibrium across said gap.

4. In a gaseous discharge storage tube of the glow transfer type; an anode; a plurality of cathodes arranged in a closed glow transfer path and equal in number to the number of stable conditions which the tube assumes in response to electrical manifestations, each of said cathodes being substantially equally spaced from said anode at a point of closest approach thereto to establish a gap of stable glow discharge therewith, each cathode receding from said anode to a point of remote approach to establish a gap of unstable glow discharge with said anode, each gap of unstable glow discharge being adjacent the gap of stable glow discharge formed by one adjacent cathode; an impedance in series with each cathode to provide a stable glow discharge across each gap of stable glow discharge when a discharge is thereacross; Voltage means connected between a preselected one of said cathodes and said anode to establish a discharge across the gap of stable glow discharge associated with said preselected cathode; and electrical means connected between said anode and said cathodes for changing the voltage therebetween to increase the size of the glow at said gap of stable glow discharge associated with said preselected cathode to extend the glow discharge to the gap of unstable glow discharge associated therewith and thereby cause said glow discharge to transfer to the gap of stable glow discharge adjacent said unstable gap.

5. In a gaseous discharge storage tube of the sequential glow transfer type having a number of stable conditions equal to the number of cathodes; an anode arranged equidistant from each cathode to form a gap of stable glow discharge therewith; means mounting said cathodes so that a portion of each, remote to said gap of stable glow discharge, is aligned in a predetermined fashion with the portion of another cathode forming a gap of stable glow discharge thereby forming a gap of unstable glow discharge to enable a transfer of the glow discharge thereacross to said gap of stable glow discharge aligned therewith; pulse means connected to said cathodes to increase the size of the glow at a gap of stable glow discharge when a pulse is applied to the cathode associated therewith so that the glow discharge includes the gap of unstable glow discharge formed by the same cathode and thereby provide a glow discharge across the gap of stable glow discharge aligned with said gap of unstable glow discharge; and impedance means connected in series with each cathode to ensure a stable glow discharge across each said gap of stable glow discharge when a glow discharge is present thereacross to effect the storage of the electrical manifestations in said tube.

6. In a gaseous discharge device, the combination comprising an anode, and plurality of cathodes positioned in sequence along a closed path, each cathode having a first area of unstable glow and a second area of stable glow, said cathodes being positioned in such a way that the area of unstable glow for one such cathode is adjacent to the area of stable glow for one of its two adjacent cathodes.

7. In a gaseous discharge device for effecting storage of electrical manifestation wherein the transfer of a glow discharge from one stable position toanother indicates the storage of one electrical manifestation, a single anode, and a plurality of cathodes positioned in sequence along a closed glow transfer path, each cathode being physically positioned relative to the anode to generate a gradient of electric field intensity along said path for each of said cathodes when a potential difference exists between that cathode and the anode.

8. In a gaseous discharge device for effecting storage of electrical manifestations wherein the transfer of a glow discharge from one stable position to another indicates the storage of one electrical manifestation, a disc-shaped anode, and a plurality of cathodes equidistant from said anode and positioned in sequence along a closed transfer path, each cathode being unequally spaced along its length from said anode to generate a gradient of electric field intensity along said path for each of said cathodes when a potential difference exists between that cathode and the anode.

9. In a gaseous discharge device, the combination comprising an anode, a plurality of cathodes equidistant from said anode and positioned in sequence along a closed path, and means including the unequal spacing of each cathode along its length relative to the anode to generate a gradient of electric field intensity along said path for each of said cathodes.

10. In a gaseous discharge storage device of the glow transfer type wherein the preselected transfer of a glow discharge from one area of stable glow discharge to another area of stable glow discharge, via a path of unstable glow discharge, represents the storage of a predetermined value; a plurality of cathodes equal in number to the storage capacity of the device; and an anode common to each of said cathodes, each cathode being formed from a single homogeneous material and positioned unequally along its length to said anode so that a preselected portion of each cathode constitutes a path of unstable glow discharge and a different portion of 8 each cathode constitutes an area of stable glow discharge.

11. .In a gaseous discharge registering device, the combination comprising an anode, a plurality of cathodes positioned along a closed path, each cathode having a root area of unstable glow and a tip area of stable glow, the root area of any cathode being adjacent to the tip area of one of its two adjacent cathodes, and means to momentarily maintain a lower potential on a given cathode with respect to said anode than on its adjacent cathodes causing a glow discharge to transfer to one of said adjacent cathodes.

12. In a gaseous discharge device the combination comprising an anode, and a plurality of cathode surfaces each having a region of greater radius of curvature and a region of lesser radius of curvature, said cathode surfaces being positioned along a closed path in such a way that the region of lesser radius of curvature of any such surface is adjacent to the region of greater radius of curvature for one of its two adjacent cathode surfaces.

13. The device set forth in claim 12 wherein said cathodes are positioned so that said regions of lesser radius of curvature lie closer to said anode than said regions of greater radius of curvature.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,898,626 Healy Feb. 21, 1933 1,958,239 Found May 8, 1934 2,398,647 Keller Apr. 16, 1946 2,427,533 Overbeck Sept. 16, 1947 2,443,407 Wales June 15, 1948 2,505,006 Reeves Apr. 25, 1950 2,516,915 Reeves Aug. 1, 1959 2,553,263 Loughren May 15, 1951 

